Pakistan minister offers bounty for anti-Islam film-maker

A Pakistani government minister Saturday offered a $100,000 bounty for the death of the maker of the anti-Islam film produced in the US that sparked violent protests across the Muslim world.

“I announce today that this blasphemer who has abused the holy prophet, if somebody will kill him, I will give that person a prize of $100,000,” Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour told reporters in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

“I also invite Taliban and Al-Qaeda brothers to be partners in this noble deed,” he said, adding that given the chance he would kill the film-maker with his own hand and “then they can hang me”.

His comments came a day after violent nationwide protests against the “Innocence of Muslims” film left 21 people dead.

Thousands of Islamist activists in Pakistan staged demonstrations again Saturday but there was no repeat of the previous day’s widespread violence.

Protests against the film, which mocks Islam and was made by extremist Christians, have erupted across the Muslim world, leading to more than 50 deaths since the first demonstrations on September 11.

Tens of thousands took to the streets across Asia and the Middle East Friday as Western missions closed amid fears of violence.

The publication this week of cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed in a French satirical magazine has further stoked the anger over the film.